Shaikh
Ali Timimi on the Taliban and the StatuesBy Shaikh
Ali Timimi, 7 March 2001

I just wanted to share a
few quick thoughts on the Taliban and their destruction of Buddhist idols
in Afghanistan.

1. Over the past two to three years,
I have been increasingly asked by Muslims both locally (i.e., here in the
US) and abroad regarding the Taliban and our responsbilities toward that
regime. I will never forget one incident in Singapore two summers ago when
I was asked to convey a letter to Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen --- may Allah's
mercy be on his soul --- asking for an unambigious ruling on the Taliban
government and a Muslim's responsbility to that goverment. Shaikh Ibn Uqla's
recent fatwa I think is a positive step in the right direction but there
still is a need for more voices to be heard on the topic so a consensus
or majority opinion may be formed.

In general my response when asked
is that while I do not have all the facts to say unequivocally that the
Taliban represent THE Islamic state of our time and their emir THE emir
of the Muslims --- for to do so has its implications on bay'a, hijra, nusra,
etc. --- we can say the following we are obliged to support all that they
do which is in agreement with Islam. This is the same principle which is
used time and time again regarding those contemporary states (few as they
are) which still remain in the pale of Islam and the various Islamic groups
movements when they are do something that is within the bounds of the Sunna.
In other words, our wala' does not have to be 100% or nothing --- rather
the principle of Ahl as-Sunna is that wala' is shown to the degree someone
is in agreement with Islam and the Sunna. Likewise bara'a is also not 100%
or nothing rather again it is to be shown to the degree someone is at variance
with Islam and the Sunna.

2. One brother correctly remarked
that there are two issues here, a purely Islamic ruling and what we may
term a timing ruling. The first is clear and has overwhelming evidence
from the Quran and the Sunna where we have been commanded to destroy all
images and flatten all graves. The famous hadith of Abul-Hayyaj al-Asadi
upon Ali ibn Abi Talib -- radi Allahu anhu - is just one evidence. The
second question on timing, this is an issue of the fiqh of masaalih and
mafaasid which is primarily one of ijtihaad. It is clear from the Prophet's
sira --- sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam --- (as well as there exists evidences
to be taken from the Quran and the Sunnah) that while the Prophet --- sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam --- made it clear from the onset that his da'wa was one
of "breaking idols" (kasrul-awthan) as is the wording of the famous hadith
of Amr ibn Abasa as-Sulami, he did not actual implement that until he was
in a position of strength after the conquest of Makka and the entry en
masse of the Arabs into Islam . (There is one hadith however in Musnad
of Imam Ahmad that idols were broken in Makka covertly. However this hadith
if authentic would be the exception not the rule as it was clearly done
covertly.)

Even if someone was to argue that
given the geopolitical situation of the umma as a whole the timing is questionable,
it is, however, highly questionable to publicly decry the Taliban for an
action which is without doubt Islamic even if for the sake of argument
poorly timed. Indeed to add one's voice to the chorus of the shouts of
the unbelievers is an action which resembles that of the hypocrites who
command evil and forbid good.

3. One should not be surprised by
the statements of the so-called scholars and representatives of the Muslims
in the United States. I think it has been suprisingly quite tame thus far
perhaps due to the hajj season. If world opinion (and especially opinion
in the United States) turns more severe against the Taliban you should
expect them to clap along singing Amen. As I have said before on this forum
and elsewhere the struggle with the modernist movement is not one simply
of a secondary issue like voting or something dealing with women's fiqh
issues, etc. It is primarly one of iman and kufr. Until we realize that
and begin to formulate our responses in that tone we will remainineffective
before this trend.

4. Jihad and Tawhid.... There is
an undeniable relationship between the two. Indeed when I first heard of
the intention of the Taliban to destroy these idols two historical incidents
came to mind.

a. The first was from Salahuddin
al-Ayyubi (Saladin) may Allah have mecy on his soul. It is reported by
his biographer the Qadi Ibn Shidad in an-Nawadir as-Sultaniya wal-Mahasin
al-Yusufiya that after the conquest of Jerusalem (may Allah hasten its
rescue from the hands of the evil Zionists), Richard the King of England
wrote Salahuddin regarding three matters Jerusalem, Christian settlements
in Palestine and Lebanon, and the "true" cross (and we bear witness to
what Allah has said that they neither cricuified nor killed the Messiah
alaihi as-salaam). Regarding the cross, Richard wrote "as for the cross
it is only wood in your eyes and of no value but for us it is great so
be charitable with us..." Salahuddin wrote back ... "As for the cross its
destruction is a great act of piety we can not allow ourselves to be negligent
regarding that unless there was some greater benefit [in not doing so]
that would return to Islam."

b. The second incident is from the
the sira of Mahmud ibn Subuktikin may Allah have mecy on his soul of Ghazna
(which today is in Afghanistan) this great leader and mujahid has been
chronicled by Islamic historians like Ibn Athir and Ibn Kathir ay Allah
have mecy on them. Ibn Kathir remarks in al-Bidaya wa n-Nihaya, "The Muslims
invaded India during the days of Mu'awiya in the year 44 A.H and [great]
events transpired then. And [likewise] the mighty and magnificent King
Mahmud b. Subuktikin the ruler of Ghazna invaded the lands of India at
the turn of the fifth century. He entered India and killed, took captive,
[and] enslaved [many]. He took [much] booty. He entered as-Sumanat and
destroyed the great al-Budda which they worship and he stripped it of its
jewlery. He then returned [to Ghazna] safe, [Divinely-]aided, and victorious."

5. Finally, I would like to say al-hamdulillah
for this step taken by the Taliban. It brought a joy to my heart that I
have not felt for a very long time. Especially for it to have occured during
these days of hajj when we revive the milla of Ibrahim --- alaihi as-salaam.
I ask Allah with all His beautiful names and exalted attributes to protect,
guide and strengthen the Taliban and to break the backs and put to shame
the forces of unbelief and hypocrisy.